Welcome to Chapter 3, everyone. The reception to this fic has been very positive, so I'll continue to update it. I won't be doing so every single day since I have edits to make and a college course schedule to handle, but I'll keep updating fairly consistently. I would encourage all Guest readers to create an account and follow the story so that you don't have to constantly check the site yourself and be disappointed when there isn't a new update.
In this chapter, Hiccup has his first fighting lesson, and Astrid makes her mark.
Have you guys seen The Hidden World yet? What did you think of it?
3. New Student
Hiccup remained as quiet as possible as he descended the steps to the ground floor. He really didn't feel like explaining to his dad why he was heading out of the house at the crack of dawn. Sure, Stoick would probably love the truth, but Hiccup didn't feel like fielding questions when it came to Astrid. Stoick's few positive comments leveled in Hiccup's direction were usually centered around her nowadays, about their apparent friendship that was surely a budding romance.
If only.
Hiccup slipped out the door, careful to be sure that he didn't make a sound, and started down the hill. His eyes snapped upward to see Astrid jogging up towards him, all manner of weapons attached to her belt. She smiled in the early morning darkness, pushing her bangs out of her face and tucking them behind her ear.
"Oh, good, you're up. I was worried I'd have to come get you."
"Who, me?" Hiccup retorted sarcastically, "You thought all of this… raw Vikingness could resist some early morning training?"
"Never doubted it for a second." Astrid snickered. Hiccup smiled, pleased that he'd made her laugh.
"Y-you want me to carry some of that?" Hiccup asked. Astrid nodded and handed him a shortsword, a collection of daggers, and a spear.
"I brought as many weapons as I could… I figured the hammer would be a little too much." Astrid said. "So, shall we go?"
"After you, milady."
They headed off towards the woods. The grass grew thicker and thicker as they left the village, sopping wet with summer dew. Astrid led them down her preferred path into the eastern woods, where the tree line was wider while still having plenty of trunks to tear into with her axe. The western woods and the areas around Raven Point were much thicker and more treacherous, featuring more volatile terrain, thicker trees, and bushes lined with brambles. Training in that area was practically asking for an injury, so Astrid stayed clear.
The sun was up by the time they reached their destination, painting the sky a pale blue mixed in with some other red and orange hues. Hiccup could tell that they were in one of Astrid's favored spots as he spotted multiple tree trunks marked with deep cuts and slashes that could only have been made by an axe. Sure enough, Astrid set down her things and turned on Hiccup, flashing a competitive grin.
"Alright. Choose your weapon."
Hiccup rambled, "Wait, er, shouldn't we, like, stretch first, or something? Because, you know…"
"Hiccup." Astrid cut in, saying enough in just one word to get the message across.
"Right. Choosing my weapon…"
Hiccup closed his hand around an axe similar to Astrid's, hefting it off of the ground and nearly falling backwards as he struggled with the weight before planting his feet and turning to face her. Astrid stifled a snicker.
"Interesting choice. Let's see what you've got." Astrid taunted before darting forward and attacking. Hiccup gasped in panic and brought the axe up, deflecting Astrid's attempt. The metal blades clanged against each other and Astrid attacked again, catching her axe underneath the blade of Hiccup's and swiftly disarming him. The axe went flying from Hiccup's grasp into the nearby grass and he groaned before looking up at Astrid, who levied her axe in his direction triumphantly.
"Well, that wasn't ideal." Hiccup drawled.
Astrid half-laughed, flashing a smile, "No, it wasn't. I can already tell that the axe isn't going to be your thing."
She released Hiccup and the boy grabbed a spear next, figuring that its lighter weight and greater reach would make it easier to defend himself with as well as counter. Astrid quickly proved him wrong, expertly disarming him again.
"This is hardly fair." Hiccup complained.
"It won't be until you find a weapon that you're good with." Astrid explained.
"Astrid, face it, I'm no good with any of these weapons. This was stupid."
"Hiccup, pick another one."
"This is feeling very one-sided…"
"Pick another one!" Astrid snapped. She took a deep breath and cooled down, meeting Hiccup's eyes again with a calmer demeanor, "Sorry. Hiccup, I asked you to come out here so that we could find a weapon for you to fight with, to teach you how to fight. And I believe in you, okay?"
"Y…you do?" Hiccup asked, his breath hitching in his throat.
"Yes. Now grab another weapon." Astrid assured him, "You can do this, Hiccup."
Hiccup sighed and looked at the collection of weapons that Astrid had brought. His eyes fell on the shortsword and he reluctantly picked it up, weighing the weapon in his hands. The blade was a perfect size for him, not too long that he could lose control when he was attacked and still far longer than any dagger.
Hiccup took the sword confidently and turned to Astrid, nodding to indicate that he was ready. Astrid lunged for him and swung the axe. Hiccup parried, blocking the incoming blade and pushing against it to shove Astrid back. She caught herself after a single step backwards, offering him a smirk before diving back at him. Hiccup parried the next strike and Astrid whirled in the opposite direction, bringing the axe around faster than he could respond. Hiccup scampered back, avoiding the arc of the axe. Astrid scowled, dodging backwards as well when Hiccup instinctively swung at her.
"Good eye. You have to make quick decisions in battle. Sometimes the best defense is evasion." Astrid praised.
Astrid lunged again and Hiccup parried, following the movements of Astrid's axe to continue his defensive spree.
"You've got to find a way to go on the offensive. Eventually, your defenses will fail. Do whatever it takes to get the upper hand." Astrid instructed. She brought her axe over her head and tried to strike, so Hiccup scrambled sideways and avoided her. Astrid smiled proudly and attacked again, satisfied when Hiccup successfully parried her once more.
"If you can't find a way to change things up, use your defense to disarm your opponent—"
Hiccup jerked his sword underneath Astrid's incoming axe, absorbing her momentum and turning his arms in a circle. Astrid's aim was completely thrown off and the axe fell out of her grip, leaving her unarmed. Hiccup quickly brought his sword upward, leveling it toward Astrid's neck.
He grinned, "Like that?"
Astrid stared at him, an unwelcome warmth spreading to her face. Hiccup suddenly tensed up and blushed, lowering his sword and shuffling a few paces back. "Sorry. I'm sorry."
Astrid scoffed, "Sorry? Hiccup, that was amazing!"
She punched him on the arm, drawing an 'ow!' from him. "It was?" he croaked, rubbing his arm absently.
"Yes! I haven't been disarmed in years!" Astrid beamed, "And you say that you're no good."
"It was lucky, really. I just saw what you'd done the last two times and copied that." Hiccup said, "It was a fluke."
"That's not a fluke, Hiccup. Stop putting yourself down like that. That's you learning." Astrid corrected, "Fighting isn't all about muscle. It takes brains, too." Astrid stooped down to grab her axe, twirling it in her hand before taking another fighting stance, "Now, come on. Let's try it when you attack me."
When they called training for the day, Hiccup was drenched in sweat. He'd discarded his fur vest some time ago, but his dark green tunic was practically ornamented with sweat stains. The shortsword he'd been using dangled at his side as they walked into the village. Vikings bustled back and forth, getting an early start on the day.
"You do this every day?" Hiccup asked, positively exhausted.
"A couple times a day." Astrid said, "But I'm usually by myself. It was nice having you there."
"It was?"
Astrid brushed her bangs away from the left side of her face, "I mean, yeah, it gets lonely out there sometimes. And you really started getting the hang of fighting with that sword."
"Do you really think so?" Hiccup asked sheepishly. A small piece of his mind wandered. Did she change the subject?
"Yes!" Astrid said exasperatedly, slugging him on the arm, "Stop asking me how you did. You were better than you can imagine. I mean, you disarmed me on your first try with the sword."
"I only got you one other time though." Hiccup pointed out.
"Because I was more careful after that. And because I've been using this axe for years. You've been using that shortsword for a few hours." Astrid explained, "Don't worry about it. I guarantee you that Snotlout or the twins would never manage to disarm me, much less do it twice. Just imagine what you could do with a sword that was actually balanced."
"Thanks, Astrid." Hiccup said, finally smiling. He looked down at the sword at his hip, "I need to give this back to you. I think I'll go to the forge and start drawing up plans for my own sword. Fix the balancing problems and all of that." Hiccup grew nervous, scratching his head and looking at the ground, "Do… do you think you could keep teaching me? I-I don't want to intrude on your routine, but…"
Astrid stifled a laugh, "Of course I can, Hiccup. I'd be happy to. In fact, I'll tell you what: we'll train every morning and work on your fighting, and you stop making all of those crazy inventions."
Hiccup stiffened. "You want me to stop inventing?" he asked, sounding like he was giving away a piece of himself.
Astrid frowned, realizing that she might have struck a nerve. "I… Hiccup, you keep saying that your dad doesn't respect you. We talked about it in the forge: your way makes him uncomfortable. Let's just focus on the 'Viking way' for a little while, and see where it takes us, okay?"
Hiccup pondered the offer. He would be swearing off inventing, the one thing that he really enjoyed doing, but in exchange he'd train with Astrid. Which meant he'd be spending more time with Astrid. The thought gave him butterflies. He glanced at her, examining her perfect blonde locks, her alluring blue eyes, and his chest tightened.
He loved her with everything he was. She was worth it. And maybe she could actually improve him, make him a better Viking. How bad could it be?
"Okay. You teach me to fight, and I'll stop inventing." Hiccup repeated.
"Promise?" Astrid asked.
"Promise." Hiccup handed her the sword, which she carefully attached to her belt, her waist practically armored by weapons.
Astrid nodded. "I'll come by the forge later, if you want."
"Of course." Hiccup answered, smiling.
Astrid punched him lightly on the arm, an identical smile pulling at her lips, "Great work today," she said, and then she was off, racing beautifully through the village. He sighed and watched her go, wishing that she'd come back and erase the cold feeling her departure had left behind.
The raid alarm woke Astrid from her sleep instantly. She shot up and rolled off the bed, fingers latching around her axe on her bedside table before she'd even begun rising to the ground. They'd been expecting a raid tonight, so Astrid had brought her weapon to her room rather than hanging it on the hooks by the front door where she normally left it. She hustled across the room, swiftly throwing on her shoulder plates and retrieving her armored skirt. Once she was dressed, she thundered out of her bedroom, practically galloping downstairs.
"Astrid," her father greeted. Ingvar Hofferson was retrieving his axe from the wall, a huge and heavy weapon that he'd carried for more than twenty years. The man had refused to replace it, having slain so many dragons with the weapon that he insisted on carrying it into every battle up until his last one.
"Hey, Dad. Are we ready?" Astrid asked, stepping into her boots and swiftly tying them.
"I'm ready. You need to find the other teens and start filling the buckets. You know that the summer raids are usually bad." Ingvar said.
"Dad, please, I'm ready to fight." Astrid complained. She knew it was useless. He'd never let her out there, not until she'd completed Dragon Training. But she figured it was worth a shot to beg for the chance to actually fight the flying devils outside their door every time they came.
"No, Astrid. I know that you're capable, but your place is with the fire crew." Ingvar refused. He turned to the front door and swung it open, releasing a hungry battle cry and charging into the fray. Astrid huffed and raced outside the house in the direction of the Great Hall.
"Astrid!" Ruffnut called, flagging her down. The female Thorston twin appeared at her side and ran in stride with her, matching her step for step up the stairs to the Great Hall. The huge wooden doors were opened up and a stack of buckets were brought out by—humorously—Bucket.
"Oi, hello, girls. Nice night tonight, isn't it?" Bucket slurred.
"Sure, Bucket." Astrid answered, "Get inside, we'll handle this."
"Yup, yup." Bucket said happily, setting down the buckets and walking back towards the building, "Stay safe out there! I'm off the milk the chickens!"
Astrid grabbed her bucket, stepping aside and letting Ruffnut do the same. Snotlout and Tuffnut came running up next, followed by Fishlegs.
"Morning, babe. Looking great on just a couple hours' sleep." Snotlout flirted.
Astrid didn't dignify him with a response, racing down the steps with her empty bucket to the nearest trough and filling it with water. Right on time, an unseen dragon struck the side of a house with a batch of liquid flames, setting the wood alight. Astrid sprinted over, dousing the blaze with water before it could grow out of control. She breathed a sigh of relief.
Astrid looked up at the night sky. Huge braziers raised into the air, illuminating the speedy forms of several different dragons. Astrid saw Gronckles, Nadders, Zipplebacks, the usual regiments of fire-breathing monsters.
Ruffnut and Tuffnut squabbled over a bucket by a nearby burning house, allowing the blaze to fester and grow. Swearing, Astrid ran over, burying her bucket in a trough of water and slinging it once she reached the house, coating the blaze and weakening it enough that Fishlegs was able to swoop in and finish the job.
"You two! Focus, we have a job to do!" Astrid snapped at the twins, "Come on!"
The other teens followed her lead, dousing flames left and right. They passed the forge at one point and Astrid spotted Hiccup hard at work, following Gobber's quick orders and doing his best to speedily service weapons as Vikings brought them in, their meaty heads on a never-ending swivel. She wondered if he'd finished his sword yet. When she'd visited the forge earlier that afternoon, he'd been putting the finishing touches on his plans and measurements.
Astrid continued to take charge, saving house after house from a fiery fate. They were lucky tonight; the dragons weren't breathing as much fire down on the village as they were just trying to steal food and steer clear of Vikings. It made their job easier.
That only lasted for a few minutes. A Monstrous Nightmare swooped in, doused with flames, and delivered a blast of fire down upon a house. The wooden structure caught the flames instantly and began to burn brightly, serving as a beacon to the fire crew.
"Hurry!" Astrid ordered. She threw a bucket-full of water on the blaze, quickly followed by Snotlout and the twins. Fishlegs lumbered over last, dumping his water on the flames. It only worked for a second; the flames caught a gust of oxygen and grew, lapping away at the dry wooden walls. The crew sprinted back to the nearest trough, dumping bucket after bucket of water until the burning house finally gave in, extinguishing the infectious flames trying to burn it to a crisp. The wood was blackened in several places and littered with holes, necessitating a decent number of repairs. But the house was still standing, offering a viable home to its owners, and that was what counted.
Astrid looked to the sky again. She had yet to hear the distinctive sound of a Night Fury closing in on the village. The blasted beast never showed itself to the Vikings, attacking only from above and never missing when it did. But it also wasn't at every raid. If the unholy offspring of lightning and death itself was absent tonight, well, that would only add to the Hooligans' unbelievable luck.
"Split up, search the village for more fires." Astrid barked, dispatching the other teens. She grabbed her bucket, hefting it up to carve another path through town before she heard the telltale squawk of a Deadly Nadder. Astrid's head snapped up and she caught sight of a Viking charging alone at the beast on a nearby hill, hammer raised high above his head.
The Nadder squawked again and crouched, bringing its wings up in defense. The Viking threw his hammer, hoping to crush the dragon's bones with the weapon, but the Nadder expertly countered the attempt by ducking its head, using the spikes on its head to knock the weapon away as if it were a mere toy.
The Viking warrior paled as the Nadder swiped its tail, sending a pair of spines into the man's leg and hopping across the ground to knock the man to the ground with a blunt swing of its tail.
Astrid broke into a run, dropping her bucket on the ground and snatching her axe from its place on her back. She vaulted up and over the small wall bordering the grassy hill, charging up the incline. She got a good look at the dragon as she approached, eyeing its pristine blue scales and its crown of sharp spines armoring the back of its head. If the Nadder wasn't currently trying to kill one of her people, it might actually be beautiful.
"YAAAAAAAAAAH!" Astrid roared, leaping and throwing the axe with practiced aim. The Nadder's head swiveled in her direction, a confused squawk coming from it just before the axe buried itself underneath the dragon's right wing where it merged with the body. The Nadder shrieked, recoiling and stumbling into the ground as the axe came loose and blood seeped from the wound.
Astrid didn't have time to yell with pride before she was beaten to the punch.
"Excellent throw, Astrid!" Stoick the Vast bellowed, thundering across the hill with a company of Vikings. The Chief threw himself atop the Nadder, pinning it down before it could escape and grabbing one end of a large, weighted net that the men had brought with them. Like clockwork, Stoick and the others trapped the Nadder under the net, ignoring the beast's pitiful squawking.
The raid seemed to end after that. A few dragons dragged slain food with them, but Astrid was sure it was decidedly less than she was used to seeing. She stayed on the hill, keeping her distance and unintentionally listening in as the chief delivered orders to the reassembling Vikings.
"Keep watch until we're sure they're gone. See that the devil is treated and locked away. She'll go to the ring. And take Yaksbreath to Gothi to have those spines removed." Stoick dished out orders, "Mulch, what are the losses?"
"Four sheep, handful of chickens, Chief."
The Chief raised an eyebrow, surprised. "We were lucky tonight."
"We warded them off before they could find the storehouse with most of them. It seems they've headed off with what little they managed to grab."
"Good work. See to the livestock, please." Stoick said. He looked around, settling his eyes on Astrid, "Hofferson, report on the fires?"
"It was a good one, Chief. Only a few fires, and they were easy to put out. One house nearby suffered some damage and will need major repairs." Astrid reported.
"Good. We'll get to that right away." Stoick said. He barked orders to a handful of other Vikings and the activity died down. Astrid remained standing on the hill, eyes fixed on the Nadder as men sedated it and dragged it away. Part of her was disappointed. She would have liked to finish the Nadder off.
"Don't get yourself down, lass." Stoick counseled, lumbering over to her, "We need a Nadder for Dragon Training. Under normal circumstances, I'd have let you finish the job."
"Thank you, Chief. I'm happy to have helped." Astrid said, smiling as honestly as she could.
"You don't need to hide your disappointment from me." Stoick said, "That was a beautiful axe throw. I'm quite excited to see what you're capable of in the ring. I think you'll make a spectacular warrior someday."
Astrid truly beamed at this. "Do you really think so, Chief?"
"Of course. You come from a long line of respected warriors." Stoick replied, "My advice? Take pride in what you did tonight. It's only the beginning, and it only gets better."
The pit-pattering of some light feet coming up the hill caught Astrid's attention. Hiccup scrambled up the incline, breathing hard as he slowed. "Astrid?" he heaved. He must've seen her from down below and come to check. Since he was confined to the forge during raids, he always came to Astrid to ask about how things had gone on her end. It was almost never a question with interesting answers, but he always kept coming back to hear them. She appreciated the consistency.
"Ah, son!" Stoick bellowed, "You will be proud. Your promised brought down a Nadder!"
Hiccup's eyes flicked over to Astrid with surprise, and she flinched at the use of the word promised. A smile tugged at Hiccup's lips and Stoick marched off, heading to handle duties around the village. There was an air of optimism, and one Viking that Astrid couldn't see sent up a joyous cheer.
"You got a Nadder?" Hiccup asked, amazement flickering in his green eyes.
Astrid smiled and nodded giddily, "Axe throw to the wing. Probably saved Yaksbreath from being killed. I wanted to kill the thing, but your dad said we need a Nadder for training."
"Oh. That sounds disappointing. But you hit a dragon!" Hiccup beamed, "What did it feel like?"
"It was amazing." Astrid replied with a gleam in her eye, "Like everything my life's been leading up to."
"I'm so proud of you, Astrid." Hiccup said, "I-I know that means nothing, but—"
Astrid surged forward, wrapping her arms tightly around his scrawny back so that she could feel the bones of his spine with her arms. She felt Hiccup's breath hitch in his throat.
"Um, what is this?" Hiccup stammered.
"This is a hug, Hiccup. Thank you. You being proud isn't worthless, it means a lot." Astrid explained, still holding him tight.
Hiccup seemed to melt, oh-so-carefully bringing his arms up to reciprocate the hug. His mind was on fire, completely unable to believe that Astrid Hofferson was here and beautiful and hugging him. Surely he was dreaming. Would it be weird to ask her to pinch him?
Astrid pulled away far too soon, taking a relieved breath and smiling. Her enchanting blue eyes twinkled in the glare of one of the nearby braziers and an indomitable proud smile continued to mask her face.
"Astrid!" Ruffnut called. Astrid looked over Hiccup's shoulder to see the blonde twin beat the others up the small hill. Ruffnut shouldered past Hiccup and ignored his presence, "Is it true that you hit a Nadder?"
"Yep. It's going to the kill ring now. They're going to use it for Dragon Training."
"Awesome! I'm going to be next." Ruffnut promised.
"To get a dragon? Please!" Tuffnut interjected, "Everyone knows it'll be me."
"Great job, babe. I coulda done it better, but, y'know, right place at the right time." Snotlout said, failing miserably at self-awareness. Again, Astrid paid him no heed. Hiccup was right about the whole 'ignoring Snotlout' thing.
"A Nadder's speed rating is 8, and its armor rating is 16, so it's not easy to find a vulnerable spot to injure it." Fishlegs determined, "Excellent work, Astrid."
The other teens offered Fishlegs a blank stare, silencing the walking encyclopedia and filling the air with an awkward silence.
"Okay, moving on." Ruffnut finally said, "Come on, girl, we've got to go celebrate your first dragon takedown!"
"Yeah! To the Great Hall!" Snotlout declared.
The teens started to leave with Astrid in tow, Ruffnut's hand clasped around her forearm. The shieldmaiden glanced at Hiccup, who was standing still and unnoticed, excluded as he always was.
"Actually, I think I'm going to pass." Astrid decided. She pulled her arm out of Ruffnut's grasp.
The Thorston girl cocked her head, disbelieving. "Seriously?"
"Yeah. I need to turn in. I'm exhausted." Astrid said, "It is the middle of the night, after all."
The other teens exchanged disappointed glances and shrugged in unison, muttering as they headed down the hill. Now that they weren't celebrating Astrid's accomplishment, they would probably be conscripted to help repair any damage the village had sustained. If they were lucky, they might be able to get away and hit the hay until sunrise.
"Come on." Astrid said, turning and grinning at Hiccup.
"I'm sorry?"
"I said come on. Let's go to the forge, just you and me. I don't want to celebrate with them." Astrid said.
"You'd rather celebrate by spending time with me?" Hiccup asked, disbelieving.
Astrid nodded.
"Who are you, and what have you done with Astrid Hofferson?" Hiccup joked with a smile.
Astrid chuckled and slugged him on the arm, "I'm your friend, dummy. Now let's go."
The hangout at the forge was short, but sweet. Hiccup lit a candle inside when they arrived, fumbling around until he found the shortsword he'd been working on. He hadn't had the time to completely finish it earlier, but the hard work had been finished.
"It's nice." Astrid commented, examining the blade. She carried a small cup full of mead in her hand. Hiccup knew where Gobber kept a small stash of it in the forge, so they'd poured out a simple serving of the alcohol into two cups and toasted to her. They both figured that one drink was enough; if they had any more Gobber would definitely find out, and he wouldn't be pleased that Hiccup was swiping from his secret store.
"Thanks. I want to do some engravings, but I think that will have to wait. I just need to touch up the blade and it'll be ready for use." Hiccup said. He made short work of the task, sharpening the sword with practiced proficiency. Once it was done, he lifted the blade in a mock stance.
"It looks great. I can already tell that you're way more balanced." Astrid commented.
Sounds of activity filtered into the open-air forge. Vikings were trickling back into the village, likely headed home after some initial repairs. The bulk of the clean-up would be done first thing in the morning once there was daylight to work with. That also meant that it was time for Hiccup and Astrid to go.
"So, training tomorrow morning?" Astrid asked.
Hiccup nodded. "Wouldn't miss it."
"Good." Astrid answered. She headed for the exit, quickly realizing that Hiccup wasn't following her and turning back, "You coming?"
Hiccup stammered, "Oh, not yet, I need to put a few things away that I left out in the afternoon. But I'll see you at dawn."
Astrid nodded in understanding and walked back to Hiccup, ensnaring him in a hug. Hiccup beamed and reciprocated, holding her as non-awkwardly as he possibly could.
"I could get used to this." Hiccup commented.
"Don't." Astrid warned, pulling away and punching him lightly on the arm. "Thanks for hanging out with me. I had more fun than I would've at the Great Hall with the others."
"Really?"
"Yeah. You're different from them. It's a good different." Astrid said. She held his gaze for a few brief moments, looking into those deep, intelligent eyes of his, and then turned, "Night, Hiccup."
She jogged out of the forge, disappearing into the night as she headed for home. Hiccup's smile remained locked on his face, a giddy snicker slipping from him as he turned and headed to his room in the forge. Maybe it was possible. It was slim, but maybe it was possible that she could love him like he loved her. She'd never done anything more than punch his arm before, but now she'd hugged him twice in one night.
And he really was proud of her. She worked tirelessly to improve every facet of her combat skills, but she'd still never been allowed to fight off the very dragons that she trained herself for. Before she could do that, she'd have to finish Dragon Training first. And he knew that each passing day only strengthened her itch to get started, not to mention her actions tonight. Winter couldn't come fast enough.
Hiccup pulled the curtain aside, stepping into his messy room. He stepped on a piece of paper that had fallen to the ground, hearing the crunch of it under his boot. He stooped down, taking the paper and reading it.
It was the plans for the Mutilator, the ones that Astrid had found when she'd investigated his room the other day. He snorted and crumbled up the parchment, rounding it into a ball and tossing it out of sight. His eyes fell on the large contraption in the corner, a device he'd dubbed the Mangler. He'd built it to be a bola cannon that would sling the weighted ropes and ensnare airborne dragons for him. Most Vikings could simply throw a bola with one hand, but not him. Ideally, it would make capturing dragons so much easier for him.
He placed a hand on the unfinished machine. When he'd last worked on it, it needed some major calibration fixes. He'd understood that when the machine prematurely fired and nearly took out one of Gobber's walls. That had been a fun conversation.
This right here is what I'm talkin' about, Hiccup!
It's just a mild calibration issue, I'll take another look at it, and—
Ye took out my wall!
Hiccup chuckled to himself and turned his thoughts back to Astrid.
We'll train every morning and work on your fighting, and you'll stop making all those crazy inventions.
The notion had been appalling at first. Inventing and building and creating was everything Hiccup was; the only thing that he could do right. More often than not it caused his father and the rest of the village some major headaches, but surely if he just kept trying, he'd get it right. He'd succeed, and everyone would shower him with the praise that he'd so desperately sought since the other kids started outgrowing him.
But that wasn't going to happen, Hiccup finally thought. If he was going to succeed by now, he would've.
Promise?
Her words rang in his ears. He hated the 'Viking way', but there'd been real progress today, and now that he was going to have a balanced sword, who knew what tomorrow's training had in store for him. Maybe he'd beat Astrid in sparring a few times and get that same rush of satisfaction that he'd felt when he ripped Astrid's axe from her hands with a swift curl of his weapon. Maybe he'd make her smile, too. Her smile was something to behold, inducing butterflies in his stomach every time he laid eyes on her pearly white teeth behind her smiling thin lips and that happy expression in her eyes.
She could make something out of him where his father had miserably failed. She could be proud of him, and in turn make Hiccup proud and confident in himself. Thor knew that he could use a little gratification.
The decision was easy.
Hiccup closed his bony fingers around the white cloth and threw it over the Mangler, hiding the machine from the world underneath a sheet of fabric and his new, optimistic outlook.